Noteboom The Law Firm

Veterans At Risk For Mesothelioma

September 21, 2010 - Of all the potential dangers out there faced by soldiers everyday, probably the last thing most will worry about is mesothelioma, a very aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates hundreds of thousands of veterans faced exposure to asbestos while in their military service.

Every branch of the service used asbestos between the 1930s and the 1970s for one reason or another. The Navy and other branches used over 300 products, which contained asbestos, during these years.

Short-term exposure may be enough to result in the development of mesothelioma, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related diseases. Not everyone exposed to the asbestos will develop health issues. Being exposed for longer periods of time, however, increases the likelihood of developing related problems and symptoms.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately, it also comes with a very long latency period. This means by the time symptoms develop, it may have been 20-50 years since exposure and the mesothelioma is in its final stages. To complicate matters even more, several mesothelioma symptoms couple with less serious conditions, so diagnosis isn't as straightforward or easy as most would hope.

The VA does recognize asbestos-related disabilities if the applying veteran can prove their exposure coincided with their military service. Naval veterans probably have a higher chance of developing some illness due to asbestos exposure because of the pervasive use on ships.